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Each Saturday, Farhad Manjoo and Mike Isaac, technology reporters at The New York Times, review the week’s news, offering analysis and maybe a joke or two about the most important developments in the industry. Mr. Manjoo is off this week, so Mr. Isaac is conversing with fellow tech reporter Quentin Hardy.
Mike: Hello, Farhad! How are you do ... — wait a minute. You aren’t Farhad. You’re my very intelligent colleague, Quentin Hardy! What are you doing here, and what have you done with Farhad?
Quentin: The working theory is that we have reached Peak Manjoo, and from now on we must ration his wisdom wisely so it lasts longer. I will try to drop something like his wisdom bombs.
Mike: Okey-doke. So, it has been a strange week in tech, though I think I say that every week, so I guess it has been a normal week in tech.
We’re all still on the lookout for who will take the chief executive position at Twitter, a process that seems to be moving about as fast as the Iran deal did. China’s stock market is basically imploding, which I guess is also bad for American tech start-ups. Oh, and McDonald’s is now serving breakfast all day, which is really much bigger news than any of this other tech stuff combined.
But as you are this week’s substitute Farhad, I leave it to you to set the topics of discussion. What’s tickling your fancy this week?
Quentin: Like almost everyone, I’m wiggling my toes in the wading pool and nursing an appropriate beverage as the Labor Day holiday calls an unofficial end to summer. Traditionally, college students pack off for school, new cars and fashions show up and we all get back to business.
In tech, it means we start a round of conferences and product announcements, maybe even a few big deals. Usually we ease into these events nice and calmly, but not this year — and not just because Apple is having a bunch of product announcements next week.
You know, Apple has these big announcements, real rolling-thunder stuff. Amazon seems to like it the other way around. Out of nowhere on Tuesday, they announced that Prime members could now download (some) movies and TV shows to iOS and Android devices. In order to watch programming offline previously, you had to have an Amazon Fire tablet, so this gives Amazon a much bigger potential customer base. It’s a pretty huge deal, if Amazon can negotiate a decent inventory of titles. And it brings the pain to Netflix, which hasn’t been interested in offering offline media.
Mike: This is cool! If only I used Amazon to watch movies. At this point, I’m basically beholden to Netflix — by the way, their new show “Narcos” is awesome. So even with all the cool little features, I only buy an Amazon flick every once in a while.
Amazon’s big problem is people like me: People who don’t register “media” when they think of Amazon. They think about diapers and dog treats. Which reminds me, I need to buy more Greenies for my dog.
Quentin: I’m just starting “Narcos.” Don’t tell me how it ends!
Your dog should be on Amazon Prime — not only would she get treats delivered free, she could download “The Newsroom” or the excellent 1974 James Caan movie “The Gambler” and watch it on your iPad, even if the dog park’s Wi-Fi is down (you can see what I mean about needing more titles). It’s all about selling more Prime subscriptions — you pay a fee and hang around Amazon more.
By the way, Netflix is coming back from the beach to more competition. Hulu, which many people think is a follower in the streaming-services arena, started a $12 a month commercial-free service. Subscriptions! It’s something journalists like us should love.
Mike: Enough about tech media. What about plain old tech?
Quentin: I guess Google is finding out a painful truth: When you’re a global tech company that is basically into everything from advertising to computers to cars, you’re going to get hassled. Possibly with good reason. Last week in Europe, the company faced a new online platform meant to help companies there sue for antitrust violations. In India, the authorities raised the same kind of charges about anticompetitive bullying.
Mike: But they have a new logo. You can’t sue a company if it has an attractive logo. I’m pretty sure that’s a law.
Quentin: Yeah, sometimes watching older tech companies try to cope with a changing world is like having your parents come down to your basement party to “relate” to your friends. Maybe it works, but it doesn’t feel natural.
Mike: O.K., give me one more piece of tech news before I go celebrate Labor Day in the appropriate manner, by not working.
Quentin: Here’s something from the enterprise world. Last week, Cisco announced that it was working with Apple to sell more iPads and iPhones to businesses. It is similar to an Apple-IBM collaboration last year, only the Cisco-Apple deal is more vague about the details.
Further into the world of enterprise spending, VMware and Microsoft — which have disliked each other pretty much since VMware was created so that buyers wouldn’t need as many Windows servers — smoked the peace pipe, figuratively, of course, onstage at a VMware user conference. Both companies are looking for ways to stay relevant now that their customers are buying fewer servers, opting instead to move over to cloud computing.
Mike: The only Enterprise I know anything about is the kind I rent a car from, so I’ll trust that you know what you’re talking about.
O.K., that’s enough, time for the weekend. Thanks for pinch-hitting for Farhad. I’ll try to stump him with an enterprise question next week.
Quentin: Sure thing. Let me know if you need a primer on virtualization.


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By Lou Mastria
Big idea: Relevance requires continual reinvestment. DAA is amid just that to keep pace with consumer identifiers, responsible data collection, and new avenues for transparency and control, thanks to your participation. Let's keep it going, all together.
Digital Advertising Alliance (DAA) Principles were established more than a decade ago to keep pace with a rapidly changing marketplace -- extending effective meaningful privacy protections to US consumers. In many ways, 2021 marked a watershed year – all of it setting the stage for a 2022 that will keep DAA innovating to protect and advance consumer engagement with responsible brands and publishers of content.

domain: news


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Looking Ahead To Life After COVID-19 🔮
Thanks for subscribing to The Cache - a weekly summary of the most important stories, trends, & commentary in eCommerce marketing, curated by Rob Bettis.
Wishing you a blessed & healthy Easter weekend!
Google Delays Launch of New Partners Program to 2021
What does this mean for you or your Google Partner today?
These new rules will no longer be enforced, and Partners will retain their current status and specialization badges.
If current agencies have not yet earned their Partner status in 2020, they are still eligible to do so as before.
They will not need to meet these new requirements.
The old requirements and spend thresholds will still be in place until the change in 2021.
If agencies lost their specialization as of January 1, 2020, they will be re-granted their former status until 2021.
This honestly feels like Google using COVID-19 as cover. The rollout of this new program has been disastrous. This honestly feels like an opportunistic excuse to backtrack.
Why you shouldn’t use Google Ads’ seasonality adjustments for COVID-19 fluctuations
Short-term solution. Seasonality adjustments are available for Search, Shopping and Display campaigns. They are meant to be used to inform Google’s bidding systems about expected short-term conversion rate changes — during special promotions, product launches or more nuanced short interval bumps and lulls specific to your business.
The tool is ideal for periods between one and seven days. For example, if you’re planning a two-day sale and expect conversion rates to go up 40% during that set period of time, you can set the seasonality adjustment to cover those days.
Machine learning systems like smart bidding use historical data and signals to predict future outcomes. When performance data changes quickly, the modeling adjustments can lag. Seasonality adjustments give advertisers a way to manual tell the system to adjust the prediction modeling for a short period. After the seasonality adjustment period ends, smart bidding reverts back immediately without having to slowly readjust.
Coronavirus not a short-term event. Seasonality adjustments are not meant for longer periods of conversion rate fluctuation. You wouldn’t use it for back to school or holiday shopping seasons, for example.
In this context, the coronavirus outbreak, unfortunately, is not a short-term event. You should not use seasonality adjustments to try to account for fluctuating conversion rates during this time.
Google May Be Forced to Reveal its Search Algorithm to an SEO
Google is involved in a lawsuit that has the potential to result in the company revealing its long-guarded algorithm secrets.
As part of the lawsuit, Google has been given an ultimatum by UK courts to either withdraw evidence to its defence or disclose the details of its search algorithm.
Not only would Google have to hand over the details of its algorithm, it would have to hand them over to a working SEO consultant.
Instagram Adds DM Access to Desktop Version
It’ll also have benefits for social media managers - now, you’ll be able to conduct all of your Instagram activities via desktop, including posting (through Creator Studio) and managing DMs. I mean, you probably still want to create Stories via the mobile app (though there are workarounds for that too), and DMs have technically been available via your connected Facebook Page inbox for some time. But it could make your day-to-day Instagram management requirements a little easier, with a dedicated inbox and tools aligned specifically to IG.
This is a helpful step forward. However, agencies and brand managers really just want API access to DM’s, so they can manage replies through third party tools like Buffer, SproutSocial, etc.
How to Use LinkedIn Conversation Ads for Better Conversions
The conversation ad format builds on the message ad format (previously known as sponsored InMail), which is delivered through LinkedIn Messenger. Designed for real-time engagement, conversation ads will only be sent when a prospect is active on LinkedIn, which means the likelihood of engagement is greatly increased.
A nice guide for LinkedIn’s newest ad type.
Pinterest boosts ability to ‘Shop’ for in-stock home decor and fashion products
A new “Shop” tab will appear on Search and on boards to help users find in-stock products from retailers. The new feature is rolling out starting today and includes price and brand filters. The Shop tab on boards will show products from or inspired by the Pins users have saved to their home decor or fashion boards.
This is one of several new updates from Pinterest this week - and one of several nice, new updates from them over the last few months. Pinterest has had a low-key presence in the last few editions of this newsletter. If your brand has an inspiration angle, perhaps it is time you gave your Pinterest strategy a second look.
Twitter notifies users that it’s now sharing more data with advertisers
Twitter has removed a privacy feature that allowed all users to stop sharing some private information with advertisers. The setting prevented Twitter from sharing information like the ads you saw or interacted with and the tracking identifier for your phone. For most users, that information will now be shared by default and can’t be turned off.
The shared data is used to show the efficacy of advertising on Twitter, the company says. It helps Twitter prove that people are actually watching, interacting with, and otherwise seeing the ads that advertisers are paying for, which helps the company “continue operating as a free service.”
Hopefully this at least means Twitter will soon become a more viable advertising network.
Amazon to Suspend Delivery Service That Competes With UPS, FedEx
Amazon.com Inc. will halt a delivery service for non- Amazon packages, according to people familiar with the matter, as it re-evaluates the nascent offering that competes directly with FedEx Corp. and United Parcel Service Inc.
Amazon told shippers the service, known as Amazon Shipping, will be paused starting in June. It was available in just a handful of U.S. cities.
Amazon is suspending the service because it needs its people and capacity to handle a surge in its own customers’ orders, according to a person familiar with the matter. The company has said it wants to hire 100,000 warehouse workers and is focusing on shipping essential items during the coronavirus outbreak.
Amazon in the past had sought to woo shippers to the new service by offering simpler rates, including the elimination of many fees and surcharges that other carriers add on to pad their revenues. It tested the program in London and Los Angeles, but didn’t make it widely available in the U.S.
Brands recalibrate to community-building during quarantine
So far, consumers — not brands — are spearheading the shift toward community-building, according to Sean Pedeflous, creative director at GDX Studios.
“We’re seeing it organically already, through happy hours and videoconferencing and the like. We’re human beings, and as social creatures, people are still searching out those connections and looking for shared experiences,” he told Marketing Dive. “Just as people need to be connected, it’s important for brands to as well by encouraging group experiences and providing additional value in some way.”
The consumer after COVID-19
“It would seem that the coronavirus is accelerating the structural changes we’ve been seeing across retail and society for the last decade — toward online interaction, toward e-commerce and away from brick and mortar, toward direct-to-consumer away from department stores,” he said. “On the one hand, social media has essentially been prepping the world for ‘social distancing.’ On the other, humans aren’t built to not interact.”
This is a great thought piece on the last impact of the pandemic. Personally, I believe strongly most sectors will bounce back much more quickly than the experts in this article predict. But the nuances of their arguments will still be helpful data for guiding your company.
Brand Marketing Through the Coronavirus Crisis
With social distancing keeping many people at home, we’re also seeing major shifts in behavioral trends. Consumers have returned to broadcast and cable television and other premium media sources for credible information. They are also seeking more in the way of escapism and entertainment — downloading gaming apps, spending even more time on social media, and streaming more movies and scripted programming. And between remote working arrangements and live-streamed workout classes, college lectures, and social engagements, we are testing the bandwidth of our homes in a largely pre-5G world.
Meanwhile, the need for physical goods is placing pressure on new channels, with demand for e-commerce rising to new levels. For those who do venture out, grocery and convenience stores are the source for essentials, but supply is inconsistent. Health and safety concerns are driving more customers toward frictionless payment systems, such as using mobile phones to pay at check-out without touching a surface or stylus.
Some of these behavior changes may be temporary, but many may be more permanent. As people move beyond the current mode of survival, the momentum behind digital-experience adoption is unlikely to reverse as people are forced by circumstances to try new things. With so much changing so fast during this difficult time, what actions can brands take to serve and grow their customer base, mitigate risk, and take care of their people ?
What about you? Do you think adoption will stick? People are so determined to resist change. It will be intriguing to follow along.
The nudge factor: Parts of ecommerce industry will be likely winners of Covid-19 pandemic
Segments across e-commerce are helping ease peoples’ anxieties by helping bring solutions both virtually as well as to your doorstep. These testing times are bringing to fore the accelerated adoption of online services and possibly creating a long term behavioural change in the way people shop, consume media, health, get educated, or generally get things done. A quick look at how the segments have responded…
The Coronavirus Will Cause a Lasting Step Change in Grocery Ecommerce
According to our most recent ecommerce forecast (prior to COVID-19), we expected US food and beverage ecommerce sales to rise 23.4% to $32.22 billion this year, with the segment accounting for just 3.2% of total retail sales. It is both the fastest-growing and least penetrated ecommerce category—and expect that these figures will be revised upward in the coming months.
Again, it’s hard for me to think Nana will continue to get her groceries online.
Lysol Maker’s Boss on Condom Sales and Living With Mom During the Pandemic
WSJ: What trends has the pandemic triggered that could stick around?
Mr. Narasimhan: E-commerce and digital will be even bigger. Supply can’t keep up with demand right now, but we’re seeing more older people using e-commerce.
There will also be a new depth to planning supply-chain resilience. And in some industries you’ll see a shakeout where the companies that win are ones that understand consumers.
The idea that the supply-chain will add additional depth is far more intriguing to me than whether Nana will continue to purchase her groceries online. This is the first supply crisis since the rise of eCommerce. I suspect the importance of fail-safes and redundancy will have a renewed value, especially in an industry that has historically valued scale over all else.
The Virus Changed the Way We Internet
But a New York Times analysis of internet usage in the United States from SimilarWeb and AppTopia, two online data providers, reveals that our behaviors shifted, sometimes starkly, as the virus spread and pushed us to our devices for work, play and connecting.
Increases in entertainment, video chat, and e-learning are largely predictable. I was, however surprised by the move to local newspapers, video games replacing live sports, and a return to desktop browsing.
For many brands that have build their strategy around mobile-first advertising, now would be a good time to revisit (at least temporarily) that strategy.
🛠 Tips & Tools
Microsoft Edge is now 2nd most popular desktop browser, beats Firefox
The Microsoft Edge browser is now being used by more people than Mozilla Firefox making it the 2nd most popular desktop browser.
While Google Chrome is still far greater than all the other browsers combined at 68.5% market share, for the first time the desktop version of Microsoft Edge has surpassed Mozilla Firefox in market share.
🤷🏻♂ Just For Fun
The Humble Phone Call Has Made a Comeback
Verizon said it was now handling an average of 800 million wireless calls a day during the week, more than double the number made on Mother’s Day, historically one of the busiest call days of the year. Verizon added that the length of voice calls was up 33 percent from an average day before the outbreak. AT&T said that the number of cellular calls had risen 35 percent and that Wi-Fi-based calls had nearly doubled from averages in normal times.
In contrast, internet traffic is up around 20 percent to 25 percent from typical daily patterns, AT&T and Verizon said.
No one’s getting new emoji in 2021 because of the pandemic
The pandemic is even affecting emoji. The Unicode Consortium, the group behind emoji releases, announced today that it’s delaying its version planned for 2021, meaning that devices won’t receive new emoji next year and instead will get a release in 2022. The good news is that the emoji that were announced earlier this year, like the olive, beaver, and plunger, will still be available this fall. Unicode says the delay is happening because it relies on volunteers who are currently overwhelmed dealing with the pandemic.
I’m just glad to know the plunger emoji won’t be impacted. 🙃
Questions, comments, inquiries? I’d love to hear from you! Email firstname.lastname@example.org.


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Stop Chasing Stocks AFTER Earnings Reports
Listen to this post
That’s what LikeFolio co-founder Landon Swan told me about the earnings season news cycle.
I wanted to highlight that piece of wisdom because it perfectly shows why the average investor fails to make money — or even loses money — during a time that professional investors say could be the 40 most profitable days of the entire year.
It’s human nature to want certainty, which is why the average retail investor has a knee-jerk reaction AFTER an earnings report is released.
If a company exceeds expectations and is up 10% on the day, the average investor jumps into the frenzy, fearing they will miss even more gains.
If a company’s earnings completely underwhelm, the average investor’s instinct is to log in to their brokerage account and click “Sell” as soon as possible.
But by the time they make those moves, even if they feel like they’re acting fast, that earnings report is old news.
The time to set yourself up to make real money is BEFORE the earnings announcement.
Of course, there are investors who understand this concept but have still failed to become successful traders during earnings season.
Most people have to rely on news they get from the mainstream media and Wall Street… which we all know lags behind.
And that’s a recipe for disaster.
A stock catches your eye…
You read as much about it as you can: analyst recommendations, news reports, stock forums, you name it.
You’re convinced you know what’s happening with its business and how it’s going to perform on earnings day.
Everything is pointing in one direction for you.
But then you trade on that info… and you get absolutely crushed.
The mainstream narrative falls apart.
And you’ve lost a nice chunk of money.
And let’s not pretend like it’s reliable information to begin with.
The media today is more biased than ever. They only pass along the information that serves their interests.
And it’s been extremely costly to everyday investors.
In fact, Institutional Investor magazine reported that the sum total of misinformation causes a $39 billion annual loss in the stock market.
Landon said if you don’t have a reliable way to get a sense of a company’s true earnings before they’re announced, you’re basically making a trade with a blindfold on.
But if you can place an informed trade just BEFORE earnings are announced, you have a chance to capture the massive spike or drop that typically comes AFTER.
And that’s the edge LikeFolio brings.
Instead of falling into the trap of waiting for earnings to be released — or trying to get ahead and relying on information that could be completely wrong — you can gain a real edge with LikeFolio’s proprietary data that analyzes social media chatter to create actionable advice.
LikeFolio’s Moneymaking Case StudyDuring the final quarter of 2022, LikeFolio’s research showed that people were posting positively about Netflix quite a bit.
Now, keep in mind that this was happening after media outlets and Wall Street had been telling everyone that Netflix was in trouble…
Have a look at this Barron’s headline:
And see what CNBC reported just a couple of weeks before Netflix reported earnings in January 2023:
Before Netflix released its January 2023 earnings report, LikeFolio received a bullish signal indicating that the mainstream narrative that Netflix was in trouble was false.
So they recommended a contrary bullish trade on their data when everyone else was down on Netflix.
And sure enough, when the company announced its numbers, everyone was caught by surprise… except LikeFolio.
Just look how quickly CNBC changed its tune on Netflix within a couple of weeks:
Now, that one trade from LikeFolio produced a stellar 112% gain in less than five days.
And that’s just one example…
The image below shows a strong bullish earnings score for the department store Macy’s Inc. (M).
That signal told LikeFolio that positive Twitter activity for Macy’s was up considerably before its earnings announcement in November 2021.
LikeFolio recommended a bullish trade ahead of that report and scored big when Macy’s third-quarter earnings and sales beat analysts’ expectations.
It turns out that sales had unexpectedly rocketed much higher than pre-pandemic levels during the quarter…
But it wasn’t unexpected for LikeFolio.
They saw strong positive Twitter activity for Macy’s before the public saw anything — and their trade produced a 376% gain in just five days.
Imagine having $10,000 in your brokerage account on Monday… then seeing it swell to $47,600 by Friday.
Again, while nobody can promise you’ll see gains this high…
These examples show the power of LikeFolio’s high-conviction trades.
In the meantime, LikeFolio has six moneymaking trends you need to see immediately.


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The Sandisk Corporation launched its SanDisk Ultra USB Type-C flash drive for mobiles, tablets, laptops, and other compatible devices as well as two new microSD cards. The new flash drive, housing a slim design, transfer speeds of up to 150MB per second – this makes it the company’s fastest and highest capacity USB Type-C offering. It comes in 16GB, 32GB, 64GB and 128GB models and Sandisk is leading the pack as it seems many new USB Type-C supported devices will be released in 2016.
The company also launched two new microSD cards – the Extreme Pro SDXC, with transfer speeds of up to 275MB per second and they come in 64GB and 128GB models. These were designed “specifically to address consumers’ needs for a faster solution when transferring massive files – and now, with nearly 3x the speed of our fastest microSD UHS-I card, this new offering dramatically reduces time spent transferring content.” Dinesh Bahal (Vice President, Product Marketing, SanDisk) said.
Source: Gadgets 360


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From March 22 to June 29, the Fashion and Textile Museum celebrates the colourful world of American-born artist Kaffe Fassett. Kaffe’s ability to blend pattern, texture and colour has won him a dedicated following of enthusiasts over the years, and it might come as a surprise that this is the first London exhibition since Kaffe’s record-breaking show at the Victoria & Albert Museum in 1988, where he became the first living textile artist to have a one man show.
Kaffe Fassett: A Life in Colour features over 100 works by the painter and designer of textiles, displayed in a dramatic installation designed by interior and textile designer Sue Timney. Showcasing over five decades of work, from designs for Bill Gibb, knitwear for Missoni, printed patchwork fabrics, inspiring needlepoint and glorious quilts, the exhibition also includes extravagantly-coloured 9-foot-wide knitted shawls, pieces created for this exhibit and not seen in public before, as well as a ‘feeling’ wall that allows visitors to touch and better understand the textiles on display and their construction.
Kaffe Fassett: A Life in Colour runs until 29 June 2013 at the Fashion and Textile Museum (83 Bermondsey Street, London SE1 3XF), and it is a much-needed break from all the London greyness – it will certainly make you feel like spring is finally here.


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More on Homebase
Homebase teams up with Tesco to launch shop-in-shop concept
Homebase has formed a partnership with Tesco to add its DIY products to the supermarket.
‘RIP John Sainsbury – one of Britain’s greatest ever retailers’
Following the death of legendary retailer Lord Sainsbury of Preston Candover, Shore Capital’s Clive Black pays tribute to a man who changed the grocery and retail landscape


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Tesla Blames Low Q4 Earnings On Delivery Issues, China Sales
Tesla's Q4 earnings, released Wednesday, fell below expectations because of difficulties delivering cars to customers and low sales in China.By Jake Godin | February 11, 2015
Tesla’s earnings report is out and the electric car company fell below expectations, resulting in a hit to its stock price.
The company reported a loss of $107.6 million in its fourth quarter and saw its stock drop 4 percent following the release of earnings figures. Here are the important numbers from this year’s report.
First up, we’re taking a look at deliveries.


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Facebook already knows who all of your friends are, when you broke up with your last girlfriend/boyfriend and what you did or wish you didn’t do on spring break last year. But if that wasn't enough, Facebook may soon be tracking you at all times.
Bloomberg reported on Monday that Facebook is “developing a smartphone application that will track the location of users … even when the program isn’t open on a handset.” The purpose of such an app is to help Facebookers find friends when they’re out and about. Such an app, Bloomberg said, could be used to sell ads based off of where users go. It’s something that will be of huge value to advertisers, but may not go down easy with users for obvious privacy reasons.
Yes, the thought of Facebook knowing where you’re spending the rest of your time that you’re not wasting on the social networking site is a disturbing thought, but it shouldn’t come as a surprise.
Facebook users have already been voluntarily “Checking-In” to the social networking site to update statuses with a current location. This new app will take this idea into a more extreme direction and remove the voluntary part of the equation. It will be interesting to see what users are OK with Facebook knowing where they are some of the time, but not all of the time. Then there’s similar apps by Apple and Google that track and record user’s locations in order to share with friends.
In an effort to increase its mobile product, while also increasing revenue across all platforms, a Facebook tracking app makes a lot of sense — though it may be better for the social networking site’s advertisers rather than its users.
The most disturbing part of Bloomberg’s report is that Facebook may have already gained permission from its users to run such an application. This would mean that there would be no notification asking if Facebook could use your location, which all apps must do in accordance with Apple’s.
This app is scheduled for release around mid-march.
More on Forbes:


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Ravi Vittalrao Malode is a worried man. A farmer with 26 acres of orange cultivation in Mowad village in Narkhed taluka of the Vidarbha region, he has thrown up his hands in despair at the ongoing heatwave. The produce is spoiling on the trees and falling to the ground in heaps.
The high temperature that has been consistently touching 44 degrees Celsius has not been good for the oranges. Coupled with the fungal infection – fruitlet blight – the oranges are dropping off the trees. Malode, who has so far spent several lakhs on the maintenance of the orchard, is distressed at the destruction of his crops.
He said, “There will be no produce to harvest if this heatwave continues. These plants need intensive care and we are at it through the year. This year the production of oranges in the Vidarbha region will be less as compared to other years.”
Malode’s orange and sweet limes orchards are located in the Mowad village, a red zone of the heatwave. With four heatwaves hitting the Vidarbha belt since mid-March this year, orange-growers like Malode are clueless about protecting the crop from the heatwave.
The orange farmers in Vidarbha said the power outages have compounded their woes. Power cuts during the day continue even as the heatwave is on.
Master Yeole told Outlook, “For four days a week, we get power during the day until 6 pm. But it is so hot that it becomes difficult working in the fields under the hot rays of the sun. For three days a week, we get power at night from 12-6 am.”
Farmers let the grass and weeds grow in the orchards to retain the moisture in the soil.
Rajesh Chaudhari narrated, “The fields are wet after we irrigate the orange and sweet lime plantations. There are snakes, scorpions, wild boars and nilgai lurking in the fields at night. We have to go to fields at night for irrigation. Since farmhands are not available, the entire family is out there trying to irrigate the plantations.”
Snake and scorpion bites are common in these parts, said farmers.
“When we get bitten by snakes and stung by scorpions, we do the jadhi-booti treatment. It is difficult to rush to any hospital at that time,” said Yeole.
The Nagpur variety of orange was brought to the region by the late Raghujiraje Bhonsle – the erstwhile ruler of Nagpur – who grew the orange plant for the first time as a “kitchen garden plant” in 1896. The successful attempt spurred the cultivation of the Nagpur oranges in the region. In 2014, the fruit bagged the GI (geographical index) tag, which gave the farmers of this region the sole right to use the words “Nagpur orange”.
The orange farmer has been pushed to a corner by the vagaries of nature and the uncertain market conditions. The Nagpur oranges do not have an established export market, thereby putting the pressure on the domestic market. With a limited shelf life, much of the fruit is wasted, said Rahul Dawde.
While it is the Ambiya Bahar which is grown from September to December and is slightly sour in taste, the Mrugh Bahar variety is grown in January and is sweeter in taste. Though the farmers grow either of the varieties, it is the Ambiya Bahar which is best suited for Vidarbha, said Dinesh Chaudhari, a farmer.
“The Mrugh Bahar is not suited for this patch. The farmers here prefer to grow the labour- and care-intensive Ambiya Bahar,” said Kunal Thakur, agriculture officer of the Maharashtra government. Though attempts have been made by various market players to produce different by-products of orange, these attempts have remained largely unsuccessful.
Orange orchards spread across hectares are one of the most visible landscapes in Nagpur and the Vidarbha belt. It is one of the largest cultivators of the fruit in the country. The mandarin oranges – widely cultivated in Nagpur – is the most popular amongst the varieties of oranges available in the country. Grown in Nagpur, Amravati and Wardha districts of Maharashtra, which is also a part of the Vidarbha region, the produce is sent to all parts of the country, said farmers.
“The Nagpur oranges are a mix of sweetness and an acid aftertaste which is not there in other varieties of the fruit. It has very loose skin and can be easily peeled,” said Nilesh Guru, a farmer.
The first organised attempt was made in the 1960s when farmers came together to form the Nagpur Orange Growers’ Association (NOGA), with its plant at Motibag in north Nagpur. It ran into losses and prompted a government takeover in 1972. It was brought under the purview of the Maharashtra Agro Industries Development Corporation (MAIDC).
The government set up NOGA’s new plant at Hingna and produced the orange squash and juice. Now NOGA’s products are off the shelves and are only sold to corporate buyers like hotels – both private and government-run. According to farmers, when tetra-packaged juice entered the market, NOGA lost its share as its financial crunch did not allow the establishment of a tetra packaging unit. Finally, the NOGA plant was shut down.
Presently, the majority of units making orange juice import the fruit as it is cheaper due to the low customs duty. Sources pointed out that the orange lobby is not as powerful as the grape growers of western Maharashtra or the Alphonso mango farmers of the Konkan region.
In fact, the farmers of western Maharashtra created a market for pomegranates and grapes in this region. The farmers in the orange belt of Vidarbha do not have much information and knowledge about the advantages of the GI tag, said sources.
According to Kunal Thakur, an agricultural officer of the Maharashtra Government, the quality and quantity of the oranges are being affected by the heatwave.
Thakur pointed out, “The size and taste will be badly affected this season. The higher the temperature, the lesser sweetness the fruits will have. These are easily perishable, so the produce may reduce this season. The orange needs well drained and porous soil. The heatwave is drying out the soil. The aeration and moisture is less in the soil which is affecting the plantations.”
The farmers are unanimous in their demand for the Maharashtra government to give orange the same attention the grapes plantations get.
“The grape cultivators are a very strong lobby unlike orange-growers. Wine is a money-earner for the state, while by-products of oranges are not. We need support from the state to stay in this business,” said Lalit Khandelwal.


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Home Tags Qualcomm
Samsung, Verizon, and AT&T have already promised a 5G phone in early 2019.
The research firm Facebook hired to smear its critics has been pushing an anti-Apple campaign that has Qualcomm’s fingerprints on it
Facebook isn't the only tech company that contracted with Definers Public Affairs to spread so-called "opposition research." The question is, who?
Mergers and acquisitions are down globally by $783 billion in the third quarter of this year, marking a decline of 35% from the quarter before as a US-China trade war threatens deal prospects.
Lenovo's new Yoga laptop is designed for people who prize portability and battery life over anything else.
North Korea has its own smartphones that you can’t buy anywhere else — check out some of the smartphones North Koreans are using
Some of these don't look bad at all!
Qualcomm has authorized a $30 billion stock buyback, which it will execute before the end of fiscal 2019.
A $44 billion tech deal that just collapsed is perhaps the biggest example yet of the harm Trump’s trade war can do
The collapse of Qualcomm's proposed $44 billion acquisition of NXP Semiconductors resulted from a lack of Chinese approval. The CEOs of both companies have suggested bigger forces are at play, strongly hinting at the negative effect of the mounting trade war.
Broadcom will acquire CA Technologies for $18.9 billion, just 4 months after Trump blocked its acquisition of Qualcomm
The $108 billion semiconductor company Broadcom announced the deal to acquire CA Technologies for $18.9 billion on Wednesday.
NXP Semiconductors NV is rising after a report that China will restart its review of Qualcomm's $44 billion bid for the semiconductor company. The proposed acquisition had been put on hold previously due to uncertain trade conditions between the US and China.
Apple deleted a revealing job listing that hints at plans to cut Qualcomm and Intel chips from future phones
The iPhone's modem chip could be the next component to get built in house by Apple, replacing chips by Intel and Qualcomm, just as the world moves to 5G.


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Emaar, a property developer, has decided to partner with Dubai Multi Commodities Centre to launch around 200 units in an under-construction building in Dubai Hills Estate. The best part about the partnership is the offer that comes along with buying a house here. This is the first time Dubai or any other city has announced an offer like this and it is undoubtedly captivating.
Private companies in UAE can breathe a sigh of relief, as they need not spend millions on recruitment anymore. Recruiting workers is pretty expensive in UAE as it requires you to deposit an amount of Dh3000 as bank guarantee. A low-cost insurance scheme will replace the current system.


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Hoover announces plan to help businesses reopen ‘quickly and correctly’
Published 4:33 pm Wednesday, April 29, 2020
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
FROM STAFF REPORTS
HOOVER – Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey on Tuesday, April 28, announced plans for the reopening of businesses across the state through her “Safer at Home” order.
The order will go into effect at 5 p.m. on Thursday, April 30.
In an effort to continue assisting businesses as it has done throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the city of Hoover announced a plan to provide further resources to the businesses community to aid with reopening and returning to work quickly and correctly.
Businesses located within the municipal boundaries of the city of Hoover may call the Hoover Business Resource Hotline at (205) 739‐7162 (from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday) to access the following areas of assistance:
- Interpretation of the state’s reopening/return‐to‐work orders
- Scheduling a consultation at the physical business location to visibly interpret guidelines
- Resources for obtaining personal protective equipment (PPE)
While the city cannot provide legal guidance or deﬁnitive answers as to when and whether a business can reopen, city staﬀ members can oﬀer guidance in the areas listed above.
These resources are a continuation of efforts the city began providing in mid-March and continues to provide to the business community, including:
- Creating the Business Resources hotline and direct outreach to businesses
- Establishing the Hoover CARES Business Advisors Coalition, which provides guidance to Hoover businesses on financial matters
- Waiving municipal sales tax late payment penalties for certain small retail businesses, taxpayers currently engaging in NAICS Sector 72 business activities (which includes restaurants and other food service providers), as well as waiving municipal late payment penalties for lodgings taxes. Late payment penalties will be waived for these taxpayers through June 1.


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Jennifer Lopez goes loco for logos: No prizes for guessing where her outfit is from
If Jennifer Lopez has her way, you’ll never have to ask anyone where they got that dress from again, because it will be, quite literally, written all over their body.
The dress she wore on German television last week initially made headlines after a wardrobe malfunction revealed more than the singer intended.
But what was jaw-dropping about the floor-length gown was that it was plastered with the name Lanvin, a French fashion house. And she helpfully wore a headband with the word Lanvin written even larger.
Walking advert: It was obvious who designed JLo's wardrobe malfunctioning dress with matching headband
Such conspicuous consumption is not a new trend. After all, in the Eighties, wearing your favourite brand on your sleeve was all the rage — think the Chanel inter-twined Cs and Louis Vuitton’s in-your-face monogram — but La Lopez appears to be taking it to extreme lengths.
Somehow I can’t see it catching on — after all, if you’re going to be a walking advert, you’d want them to be paying you rather than the other way round.
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- Incredible footage shows Storm Dennis hitting Aberystwyth
- Storm Dennis whips up huge waves on the Cornish coast
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GGRAsia – Lisboeta Macau opens more hotel rooms in time for CNY
Lisboeta Macau opens more hotel rooms in time for CNY
Lisboeta Macau – a resort project next to SJM Holdings Ltd’s new Grand Lisboa Palace casino resort in Cotai – has announced that it has launched additional brand-themed hotel rooms that can be booked for the New Year holidays Chinese. The newly opened Lisboeta Macau rooms are branded as “Maison L’Occitane” and “Line Friends Presents Casa de Amigo,” according to the resort’s promotional materials.
The Maison L’Occitane accommodation (example pictured), themed after the French cosmetics and skincare brand, is made up of 164 rooms. Booking for them opened on Friday, January 28, according to a notice posted by Lisboeta Macau on its social media.
Line Friends presents Casa de Amigo, an accommodation themed on the Line social media software application, consists of 82 rooms, Lisboeta Macau said in a January 25 press release. Booking for these themed hotel rooms opened last week.
The Lisboeta Macau resort offers a total of 820 rooms. It is home to the 574-room Hotel Lisboeta Macau, as well as Line Friends Presents Casa de Amigo and Maison L’Occitane.
Hotel rooms at Hotel Lisboeta Macau had been made available for the first time from December 20, 2020 – on an optional basis – for the observation of the Covid-19 quarantine of travelers returning from outside of Macau, even before some of the property’s facilities were opened to the public in July 2021. Location quarantine availability has ended from January 3.
Lisboeta Macau is managed by an entity called Macau Theme Park and Resort Ltd, run by Arnaldo Ho Yau Heng, a son of Angela Leong On Kei by the late Macau gambling entrepreneur Stanley Ho Hung Sun. Ms. Leong and Mr. Arnaldo Ho are both part of the management of casino operator SJM Holdings.
The Lisboeta Macau complex currently hosts several non-gaming amenities, including the Emperor Cinemas, GoAirborne Indoor SkyDiving, and the ZIPCITY Zipline, among other retail and restaurants.


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Private Internet Access presents unthrottled speeds with servers throughout seventy eight international locations. The company is quite vocal about its mission to offer users the highest ranges of security and privateness potential, which is why it accepts Bitcoin as a private cost answer. “Bitcoin paid to Tesla shall be retained as Bitcoin, not transformed to fiat foreign money,” Mr. Musk explained in a tweet. That means when somebody buys a Tesla with Bitcoin, the price of the automobile might nicely rise — or fall — over time.
However, shortly after, the company also added support for Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Litecoin. Founded in 1953, PlayBoy is among the oldest adult entertainment magazines out there. In current years, because the print magazine trade continued its persistent decline, the corporate has also pivoted into on-line content material.
- President Nayib Bukele announced the controversial transfer at Bitcoin Miami earlier this yr.
- But make sure you do your individual research and only make investments money you presumably can afford to lose.
- In addition, transaction fees are a lot decrease when compared to conventional fee strategies.
- The Bitcoin fee window can be custom-made with the shop logo or colours to match the design of the online store.
While fees and trade rates are slightly totally different with every PSP, bitcoinpay recommends working with EUR, as that may dramatically cut back the amounts of fees paid for every transaction. Approaching the tip of the record, we now have ALFAcoins, which can be among the many most trusted Bitcoin cost gateways. It additionally has a novel feature, which is a BitSend payout system.
Which Cryptocurrencies Will You Accept?
Mining is critical to assure that blockchain ledger and Bitcoin network are safe. Bitcoin miners earned a report $1.5 billion in March, CoinDesk reported. Logo of BKCoin Capital, a Miami-based asset management firm. Jeremy Harshman is a protector of art and writing at CreditDonkey, a crypto comparability and reviews website.
By chopping down the variety of client steps and incorporating cost information in a single place you will make their journey simpler and get more profit. To accept Bitcoin, you only need your personal bitcoin processor BTCPay retailer and a Bitcoin address or a Bitcoin wallet to which your incoming Bitcoin shall be credited. Merchant Maverick’s rankings are editorial in nature, and are not aggregated from consumer reviews.
The Means To Accept Funds With Blockchain In Php
Pizza Hut, another restaurant chain owned by the institution, has introduced acceptance of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies in Venezuela. The company partnered with Cryptobuyer for this initiative. The cryptocurrency smashed via the $51,000 milestone on Feb. 18 and analysts have gotten bullish on the coin by the day.
Last September, President Zelenskyy had rejected a similar legislative proposal to legalize cryptocurrencies. Ukraine now turns into the second nation on the earth to undertake crypto as authorized tender, becoming a member of El Salvador which made the choice to accept Bitcoin as authorized tender last September. Then, in March, the cryptocurrency hit an all-time high, with costs surging to $60,000. One quirk of the rise meant that two pizzas bought by crypto legend Laszlo Hanyecz would have effectively been value $613 million, at the time of the surge. Shopify is an eCommere platform the place retailer homeowners can arrange and administer their own on-line store. The own on-line retailer could be extended by adding further functions.
With transaction costs rising for traditional payment strategies, it by no means hurts for savvy merchants to maintain their eyes on rising non-cash alternatives. Accepting Bitcoin and different cryptocurrencies comes with some dangers however can even probably be a low-cost approach to take funds through any channel. When you’re able to take the plunge, try some of the biggest names in crypto payment processing. If you might be looking for a method to accept bitcoin funds on your web site or just need to make some invoices which would possibly be payable in BTC, then give some of these tools a try. If you may be more excited about just promoting the BTC on the point of sale for a fiat forex, then a few these services may be price checking out. REEDS Jewelers will permit you to spend BTC at their physical shops and online retailers alike, offering a full range of luxury watches and jewellery.
Other digital currencies, corresponding to Cardano, Ethereum and XRP, had been up 10% or more as well. According to Coinbase, the favored cryptocurrency exchange, Bitcoin was trading at roughly $40,000 as of three p.m. ET on Monday, in comparability with prices of $29,000 to $33,000 for many of last week.


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MTN Uganda has held its 4th Internet Expo of 2014. The three day event was held in Mbarara from Thursday 28th to Saturday 30th Augustat the Ntare Road Car Park. These expos are designed to take the experience and access to the Internet closer to the people and these events. MTN puts on show the latest devices and solutions in the digital world, which enables Ugandans across Uganda to experience and access the latest digital services available. The Mbarara Expo follows others held in Kabale, Jinja and Kampala and will be followed with another in Lira November later this year.Dan Muhereza, a 32 year old businessman in Kabale said he was enlightened by what was on display at the expo and satisfied with the customer care by staff there.
“I’m happy with the reception I got here. All my questions were answered to my satisfaction. I have also made good use ofthe free Wi-Fi offered. I was able to download a number of useful apps which I couldn’t have done under normal circumstances”, he said.
In line with the brand’s mission ofdelivering a bold, new digital world, MTN Uganda has since last year taken these expos aroundthe country to give its customers the opportunity to see and try out the latest data solutions making global headlines today. MTN Uganda has over 3 million Internet users and the MTN Internet expos are designed to grow this number of customers who use the Internet as a source of information and knowledge.
MTN has invested significantly in ensuring that all of Uganda is connected to the Internet both in the network and access through devices. In the six months ending 30 June 2014, MTN Uganda invested in an additional 133 2G sites plus 138 3G sites. There were also 243 existent 2G sites upgraded in various locations across the country.MTN’s total investments in Uganda exceeded Ushs. 137 billion in 2013 while a further Ushs. 150 billion has beenearmarked for 2014. MTN Uganda has also partnered with reputable International brands like Samsung, BlackBerry, Nokia, Huawei and Apple among others to offer devices that suit different lifestyles and budgets of customers. MTN Uganda offers a wide range of smart phones, tablets, laptops, dongles, routers and many more. A full device catalogue can be found at www.mtn.co.ug/shop
MTN Uganda’s Acting Chief Marketing Officer Kenneth Kiddu said, “MTN will continue using the expos to educate and create awareness of the vast opportunities available through the use of ICT as well as expose customers to the range ofdata solutionsavailable from MTN”.
“At MTN we are constantly keeping pace with the evolution of ICT.The speed at which the world is moving technologically leaves us with no option but move with it.Our priority is to make sure that deliver access to fast but affordable Internet access to Uganda wherever they are across Uganda.” He added.
Mr. Hilary Kuraije, the Regional Police Commander,who officiated at the opening of the Mbarara expo, commended MTN for the initiative and for takingit to the people of Mbarara. He also pointed out that internet is a necessary tool that can be used in all spheres to improve on business efficiency and productivity, live better lives, as well as improve on security.


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August 15, 2014 — Zoll Medical Corp. announced its Japanese subsidiary, Asahi Kasei Zoll Medical (AZM), has received Shonin approval from the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare to enter the Japanese market with its R Series monitor/defibrillator.
AZM, a Zoll company established two years ago to pursue the regulatory approval, sale and marketing of Zoll products in Japan, will begin marketing and selling the R Series in early 2015. The R Series in U.S. hospitals goes beyond defibrillation and incorporates a complete suite of tools to assist with the delivery of high-quality CPR.
The R Series Code-Ready units are designed to assist personnel in delivering resuscitation to every hospital department. The R Series offers rescuers a CPR Dashboard to monitor depth, rate, release and perfusion, as well as audible prompts for depth and rate. In addition a See-Thru CPR filter removes CPR artifact and enables rescuers to see the underlying rhythm, reducing the duration of pauses. Because less than 25 percent of in-hospital patients in cardiac arrest have shockable rhythms, the ability to deliver high-quality CPR is critical to survival.
“We are very excited to introduce the market-leading R Series to Japan and to continue to offer innovative technologies and devices for acute critical care to this major market,” said Jonathan A. Rennert, president of ZOLL. “Since defibrillators are widely distributed throughout hospitals, and their use is both infrequent and extremely critical, code readiness helps clinicians save more lives. By granting Shonin approval, the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare now makes the R Series available to clinicians throughout Japan.”
For more information: www.zoll.com


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Just weeks before a nation-wide launch, the Flemish OTT service Stievie is running into issues about catch-up TV rights.
SeaChange victor in Arris patent dispute
United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has backed SeaChange International over an October 2012 decision rejecting allegations by Arris Group had violated a 2006 injunction.
ESPN Player comes to Samsung, LG smart TVs
ESPN Player, the live and on-demand sports streaming service, is now available on Samsung Smart TVs across the UK and Europe, and is expected to launch on LG Smart TV’s […]
Magine is changing TV viewing
A survey of 1,500 Magine users shows that the OTT cloud TV Everywhere platform is changing consumer behaviour when it comes to TV viewing.
BBC unveils next generation iPlayer
The BBC has announced plans for a next generation iPlayer, with an extended viewing window, the ability to pause and resume on separate devices and new user playlists.
Connected TV set to soar
Connected TV is set for a massive boom over the next few years, with the number of TV sets connected to the internet set to reach 759 million by 2018.
Tivo sparks Com Hem into biggest-ever marketing campaign
Com Hem has launched its biggest-ever marketing campaign in support of the launch of its new TiVo service.
Facebook closes software tool deals
French broadcaster TF1 and Canal+ are among the broadcasters that have signed deals with Facebook for its new software tools.
Naxoo and UPC Cablecom take first steps to union
UPC Cablecom is to combine its offer in the canton of Geneva with that of the publicly-owned Naxoo.
France focuses on VOD
France’s on demand market is starting to take off ahead of Netflix’s possible launch in the country.


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Back in 2002 the editors of Profit Confidential started telling their readers it was time to jump into gold related investments. This gold investing guidance and analysis proved to be extremely timely. Yes, back in 2002 we started offering gold analysis to our readers and we still do it today. We have been recognized as one of the first investment letters to tell its audience to jump into gold stocks, very early in the gold bull market. The gold guidance and analysis we provided resulted in many stocks we follow rising in price 100% or more in short periods of time. Today, you can regularly find gold market analysis in Profit Confidential. Each time gold prices moved higher, we told our readers to buy more gold related investments. See what we have to say about gold’s future dally in Profit Confidential.
What led to the 2008/2009 stock market and real estate crash and subsequent Great Recession can be attributed to one factor: the sharp rise in interest rates that preceded that period.
In May of 2004, the federal funds rate, the bellwether rate upon which all interest rates in the U.S. are based, was one percent. The Federal Reserve, sensing the economy was getting overheated, started raising interest rates quickly. Three years later, by May 2007, the federal funds rate was 5.3%.
Any way you look at it, the 430% rise in interest rates over a three-year period killed stocks, real estate, and the economy.
My studies show the Federal Reserve has historically taken things too far when setting its monetary policy. It raised interest rates far too quickly in the 2004–2007 period. And I believe it dropped rates far too fast since 2009 and has kept them low (if you call zero “low”) for far too long.
In the same way investors suffered in 2008–2009 as the Fed moved to quickly raise rates, I believe we will soon suffer as the Fed is forced to quickly raise interest rates once more while the economy overheats.
It’s all very simple. The U.S. unemployment rate is getting close to six percent. The real inflation rate is close to five percent per annum, and the stock market is way overheated. The Fed will have no choice but to cool what looks like an overheated economy. But the Fed won’t be able to do it with a quarter-point increase in interest rates here and there. It will need to raise rates by at least … Read More
By no surprise to me whatsoever, the government’s third and final estimate of first-quarter U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) came in at a negative annual pace of 2.9%. (Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, June 25, 2014.) The U.S. economy’s growth rate in the first quarter of this year was the worst since 2009.
I’ve been writing since the fall of 2013 that the U.S. economy would see an economic slowdown in 2014. I have been one of the few economists warning of a recession in 2014. My calls are not to scare or create fear; rather, they are based on the government’s own data.
Not to boast, but it’s like the creators of the first-quarter U.S. GDP report have been reading Profit Confidential! Everything we have been warning about came out in this most recent GDP report.
I’ve been harping on about how the U.S. consumer was tapped out…and low and behold, consumer spending in the U.S. economy increased by only one percent in the first quarter of 2014. In the fourth quarter of 2013, consumer spending increased by 3.3%. The fifth year into the so-called economic “recovery” and consumers are pulling back on spending for the simple reason that they don’t have money to spend.
The poor have no money; the middle class has been wiped out. And the rich are far from spending enough to make up for the lack of spending by the poor and middle class.
But have no fear, dear reader; stocks are up. The stock market is telling us we have nothing to worry about? It seems so.
I, for one, will … Read More
My father is 87 years old. He’s in great shape, drives on his own, plays cards with the guys each afternoon, and has basically been enjoying retirement since he sold his business when he was 65.
Like all retirees, he and my Mom have been living off their savings for years.
And like millions of Americans, the low interest rates we have been enduring since the Federal Reserve decided back in 2008 that it was best to bring rates down to historically low levels (and keep them there for six years) haven’t been kind to them.
But last week, the letter we got in the mail, well, it was the last straw.
My folks have some of their money in the wealth management division of one of the largest banks in North America. On Friday, we received a letter from them that said the bank would start charging a fee of $500.00 a year if the balance in my parents’ accounts fell below $125,000.
Yes, you got that right. If my parents keep less than $125,000 in their accounts at this (essentially) brokerage arm of the bank, they will be charged $500.00 a year for the bank to keep their money.
Nice. (If you are a small business owner, imagine treating your customers like that!)
The letter ended by saying that if we are not happy with the bank, we can transfer the money to another financial institution by a certain deadline date and the transfer fee will be waived. Nice, again.
Dear reader, I have been writing to you for months that my view is essentially that money is … Read More
Yesterday was an amazing day for the markets.
Gold bullion hit a three-month low despite: 1) inflation rising rapidly in North America; and 2) the Chinese buying half of this year’s world gold production.
The stock market was up to a new high despite: 1) corporate insiders selling like mad; 2) corporate earnings growth collapsing; 3) the amount of money investors have borrowed to buy stocks standing at a record high; and 4) the economy stinking.
In the words of Robert Appel, my esteemed colleague, the following best describes what is happening with the markets:
“Time to take those ruby slippers out of the closet because we are definitely on our way to the ‘Wizard of Oz’ show once again. There is a view that the government and its ‘special contractor’ (the Fed) have things under control and we are now at the beginning of the biggest stock bull in history. We don’t buy that theory for a minute but we do acknowledge it exists.
“Those opposing this view—an ever-declining number—suggest that if inflation were defined as it was when the greatest economic minds of our age were still alive—the U.S. economy would be in big trouble. The recent corporate earnings wipeout in the retail sector was one of the most under-reported financial stories of the year.
“Interestingly (this is too bizarre to make up) the only major upside surprise in the retail sector in respect to first quarter earnings reports was Tiffany’s…where they can barely keep up with demand. No surprise for our readers as the ‘gap’ between rich and poor under QE [quantitative easing] has only intensified. QE … Read More
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In the last several months, dozens of Midland businesses have been sued for violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Let me start by stating that the Midland Chamber is not advocating that businesses should be exempt from compliance. We are, however, concerned about the nature of these lawsuits. Read more…
News by ADA Compliance directory
Los Angeles based company Biz Wiz Support is launching a website to promote businesses related to the American Disability Act. Following the success of Biz Wiz’s ADA Compliance website www.ada-compliance.com , an ADA Code title III & IV and small business resource, and visitor requests for ADA Compliant companies in their areas, the need for an ADA Compliance Directory became apparent.
Biz Wiz Support is announcing the launch of www.ADA-compliance.directory , a website that gathers listings of professionals, services and goods related to disability in the U.S. www.ADA.directory will be a comprehensive solution for American companies involved in multiple ADA issues.
After thorough market analysis, Franck Vialy, Founder and Owner of Biz Wiz Support and www.ADA-compliance.com , is creating the first National ADA Directory in the U.S. The demand for an ADA Directory has finally been responded to.
Biz Wiz Support is raising funds on Kickstarter to take ADA.directory website nationwide and provide a valuable, easy to use directory. Let Biz Wiz Support market your company for you. Any Company can pre-order a subscription on Kickstarter and help make this project a success.
With your support, ADA.directory can reach many in need across America. The goal of making ADA.directory a paid subscription is to have the means to maintain the site, online marketing and build a reliable, helpful, easy to navigate online complete resource offering complete solutions to ADA demands. Together we can facilitate to make America more accessible. This ADA.directory site combined with www.ada-compliance.com will help Americans with disability in find companies that will help fix their problem.
This directory will be available on all platforms whether you’re the in office, the home, or on the road with a smart phone.
A new federal requirement to study a municipality’s streets for compliance of the American Disabilities Act could be costly for cities such as Decatur.
The Federal Highway Administration and Alabama Department of Transportation are requiring local Metropolitan Planning Organizations to analyze the streets and intersections in their areas. Read more…
News by ADA-compliance.directory
Rapid City Mayor Steve Allender’s Civic Center Resolution Task Force got off to a wobbly start on Monday.
Members of the group tasked with tackling some of the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center’s biggest problems were confused about the group’s focus and were struggling to get a handle on the costs of improvements. Read more… News by ADA-compliance.directory
CHAMPAIGN — City leaders are taking steps to make the city more handicap-friendly. Tuesday night, the city council will learn more about a new ADA transition plan to bring its public spaces up-to-code.
They’ve been a long time coming. You see the signs. You go through the doors. But one crack in the sidewalk is a crack in the code. Read more…
New by ADA-compliance.directory
PLATTSBURGH — Pyramid Management Group has reached an agreement with the State Attorney General’s Office to address accessibility issues at its 12 mall properties in New York.
The settlement resulted from an investigation by the Attorney General’s Office after a complaint was filed by the North Country Center for Independence in 2013. Read more News by ADA-compliance.directory


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With shares closing down almost 3% to $3.26 Monday on volume of 136 million shares, Sirius stock has declined close to 10% in March and 7% year-to-date. Remarkably, the stock remains under pressure even though Sirius has enjoyed a flurry of good news. Recently, two analysts have initiated price targets of $4.50 and $5 per share. It hasn't helped, leaving investors to wonder, "How much more good news can this company endure?"
Now gotten even more complicated. Sirius' own performance, whether good or bad, may not be enough. The market sector has turned its attention to Apple (AAPL) - Get Report, the same company that many Sirius investors insist is not threat. Sirius investors tout that "content is king," and that Apple doesn't own any. But if rumors are correct, Sirius is on the verge of being checkmated.
Peter Kafka of Re/Codereported Monday that National Public Radio is coming to Apple's iTunes Radio. Often lauded by Sirius investors for its "music-only content," Apple is now exploring more ways to diversify its offerings. With popular shows like "All Things Considered" and "The Diane Rehm Show," NPR is a major step in giving iTunes Radio the level of respect that CEO Tim Cook has envisioned. But it doesn't end there.
According to NPR officials, there are also local stations that may want their own programs on iTunes Radio. This news didn't sit well with Pandora (P) investors, either. Pandora stock was down close to 8% to $31.39 at Monday's close and has become the subject of several debates, especially given the company's need to raise the rates on its Pandora One subscription service. Sirius' misery has some company.
What will Sirius do to respond? Let's assume there were some Sirius subscribers that signed up for Sirius solely or the automobile access to NPR (I know that's a stretch) who now have the cheaper iTunes Radio as an alternative. NPR may not have the popularity of a CNBC, ESPN or the NFL, but how long is it going to take before Apple begins talks with these content providers, if they haven't already.
For Sirius shares to reverse course and trend back in the right direction, management must convince a now-skeptical market that its business model is sustainable. As we discussed last week, there are doubts as to whether the company knows what to do to preserve what market cap it has left.
Although Sirius has done well over the past year, its growth remains too highly dependent on auto sales. Sirius rose to prominence by signing exclusive deals with high-profile talents like Howard Stern and rights to the NFL and Major League Baseball. Then the financial crisis brought the company to its knees, partially because there was no credit available for people to buy cars.
When the market bottomed and began to rebound in 2009, car sales were back on the rise. Since then, Sirius' stock has appreciated commensurately. But auto sales have begun to plateau. And even with the 16.4 million light vehicle sales projected for 2014 (6% annual growth), Sirius anticipates 4% year-over-year revenue growth.
This lack of confidence between auto-sales projections and Sirius' guidance points to the fact that the company desperately needs another revenue stream beyond the automobile. And I have to continue to question the judgment of Jessica Reif Cohen, analyst at Bank of America (BAC) - Get Report, for believing these shares (still expensive at 54 times trailing earnings) deserve a $5 price target.
At the time of publication, the author was long AAPL.
This article represents the opinion of a contributor and not necessarily that of TheStreet or its editorial staff.


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Two men who ran a device maker that was later sold to Johnson & Johnson have been indicted for illegally marketing a product for unapproved uses, according to the U.S. Attorney in Massachusetts.
Specifically, William Facteau and Patrick Fabian allegedly sought to “quickly develop and market products to create a projected revenue stream” that would make the company, Acclarent, an attractive target for either an initial stock offering or an acquisition, according to an indictment that was unsealed late last week.
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Reuters and The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday that Toyota Motor Corp. and the United States Department of Justice are close to a deal that would resolve a criminal investigation into how it disclosed to government regulators customers’ complaints about unintended acceleration. The Journal is reporting that the settlement would involve Toyota paying as much as $1 billion in fines, ending a four year investigation. Sources say that the deal could still fall apart, or the amount of money involved could change.
A Califonia jury ruled that Toyota Motor Corp was not at fault in a 2009 accident in which 66 year old Noriko Uno was killed when her 2006 Camry ran into a tree after being hit by another car. Uno’s survivors blamed the accident and her death on unintended acceleration and Toyota’s failure to incorporate a brake-override system in Uno’s car. This was the first wrongful death lawsuit over accusations that Toyota products could uncontrollably accelerate. The jury found that Uno’s Camry was not defective, instead placing full liability for her death on the driver of the car that hit Uno before she sped the wrong way down a one-way street and into the tree. Uno’s survivors were awarded $10 million.
After losing a motion to prevent him from appearing, Toyota Motor Corporation’s CEO for North America, Jim Lentz took the witness stand in a lawsuit filed by the survivors of a woman who was killed when her Camry allegedly sped out of control and hit a tree after it was hit by another car, whose driver is a co-defendant in the case. One issue in the court case is why Toyota did not equip Noriko Uno’s car with a brake override system that automatically closes the throttle when the brakes are applied.
The first wrongful death lawsuit concerning the sudden acceleration of Toyota cars to go to trial has started with opening arguments. According to Bloomberg, the lawyer for Noriko Uno’s family said that Toyota knew that their gas pedals could get stuck and that the company was liable for her death because Uno’s 2006 Camry did not have a brake override system. The Toyota that Uno, 66 at the time of her death, was hit by a car that ran a stop sign. Her Toyota subsequently accelerated down the wrong side of the road for 30 seconds before hitting a tree, causing her death.
Reuters reports that Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas along with private attorneys filed the first U.S. consumer protection lawsuit against Toyota USA. The main charge is that Toyota has endangered the public by selling defective vehicles and engaged in deceptive business practices. From the 18 page suit filed Friday morning:
“Against this backdrop of fraud and concealment, Toyota has for decades touted its reputation for safety and reliability and knew that people bought its vehicles because of that reputation and yet purposefully chose to conceal and suppress the existence and nature of defects,”
The suit seeks to restrain Toyota “from continuing to endanger the public through the sale of defective vehicles and deceptive business practices.” Toyota said it has no immediate comment.
When it comes to mountains of data like the NHTSA vehicle complaint data base, one man’s junk is another man’s treasure(trove). Yes, there are limitations. But the remarkable degree of similarity of the UA rate between most badge engineered cars, and GM’s consistently low UA ratings speak of statistical relevance to some of us. One of those is David Lapidus, (TTAC handle: David42), whose data diving and Excel skills vastly overshadow mine.
In the last data dive, I used numbers from Edmunds to come up with a UA complaint rate for 117 cars from MY 2005-2010, excluding the flurry of complaints filed with NHTSA after the Toyota mat recall 0f 9/29/09. But those are cumulative, over the five years. David has taken it to the next level, to the individual model year. We may come back to the whole list another time, but initially we decided to focus on the Toyota Camry, since its large volume of sales and UA complaints would inherently increase the statistical accuracy of the numbers. And although this data dive may not solve the UA puzzle, it does raise serious questions about the most recent recalls and the Congressional barbecue of Toyota.
[Update 3: This post is now officially obsolete, having been supplanted by the much more accurate update here]
[Update 2: In a new post, I have noted that 53% of Toyota UA complaints were filed after the mat advisory was issued on 9/29/09. The number used her are not adjusted for that. As soon as they are available, I will redo this spreadsheet, using more accurate sales stats]
[Update ans Disclaimer: As I noted below, this spreadsheet will be updated when I can access actual sales stats from our source, Morgan and Co. on Monday for the years (’05-’10) covered. That will very likely change the rankings somewhat. The Lincoln may actually be #2. But this is not about which car is #1 or #2; it’s about finding patterns in certain makes, and within makes. It’s an attempt to see if these statistics can shed light on a complex and opaque issue. As an example, why the Toyota Yaris is so low in reported incidents. It’s more about these patterns and discrepancies, than about singling out the car with the highest rate, so please don’t take the current exact rankings as the final word. It’s a work in progress. The fact that the complaints are not tabulated by individual MY also limits this substantially, as running changes in a given car during the five year period will change things significantly. So this data dive is fundamentally flawed; take it as such. But nevertheless, it’s still a huge step over the raw data that Edmunds put out, which doesn’t begin to account for the number of any given cars sold.]
Numbers and statistics are largely useless without context. Edmunds.com took a first good step in going through NHTSA’s data base and reporting the number of UA events reported per make, brand and vehicle. But what was obviously missing was the correlation to the number of cars on the road in relation to those numbers. We’ve taken the next (tedious) step, and the results are most interesting indeed. They’re certainly not completely conclusive, but we’re not finished yet. The full list of 95 cars follows, as well as our methodology, a stab at some analysis, and more questions to still be answered.
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- RealTalk Time for the Regressive automotive enthusiasts to move the goal posts again.
- Dukeisduke Meanwhile, the Automotive Alliance for Innovation, that represents the Big 3, blasted NHTSA's CAFE proposal, stating it "exceeds maximum feasibility", and will cost the automakers $14b in fines between 2027 and 2032.NHTSA's reaction: Lol, just build more EVs, you silly gooses.What happens if consumers revolt, won't buy EVs, and hold on to their old cars instead?
- Dukeisduke Another good reason not to buy a BMW.
- Dukeisduke How about a Lightning McQueen Edition? I'm surprised you couldn't think of that one.
- Zang You just proved me right lol. dont worry, outside ttac people dont value your opinion either.


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An out-of-control Ford Ranger crashed into the lobby of Minnick’s Auto Repair and Towing in Winchester, VA, on Wednesday. No one was injured, but damage to the shop was significant. A sign on the window of the shop’s service bay instructed customers to “give a shout into the open wall” for service.
Below is the article as it appeared on the Northern Virginia Daily website.
Car crashes into auto repair shop
February 10, 2011
WINCHESTER — A city man was charged with reckless driving Wednesday after crashing a red Ford Ranger into the lobby of a local auto repair shop, city police said.
No one was injured when Brandon E. Henry, 19, of Shawnee Drive, lost control of the truck at about noon and plowed into Minnick’s Auto Repair and Towing, at 32 W. Cecil St., said Winchester police Sgt. Frank Myrtle.
Myrtle said Henry was traveling south on Braddock Street and turned left on Cecil Street before he struck the business at its office entrance.
A damage estimate was unavailable, but the impact to the busy shop was significant.
To read this article on the Northern Virginia Daily website, visit http://www.nvdaily.com/news/2011/02/car-crashes-into-auto-repair-shop.php.


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As Amazon continue to cut ties with European distributors, we examine what the change means for brands, distributors and consumers
Article main contributor: Gemma Stainsbury, Account Director @ Melody Agency.
The 1-minute summary read
What’s the situation?
After a period of sharp economic growth that saw Amazon invest heavily in infrastructure and innovation, slowing sales and a gloomy economic climate left the e-commerce giant with spiralling, unsustainable costs.
As rivals such as Walmart, Target, Wayfair and Overstock pile on the pressure, Amazon has been exploring different ways to reduce costs and boost margins.
It has resulted in Amazon announcing it is to stop working with many European distributors who supply goods on its site.
Instead it will deal directly with brand manufacturers – cutting out the ‘middlemen’ to streamline its supply chain and costs.
Amazon’s decision to cut out the middle-men and work directly with brand owners will have drastic implications for the whole supply chain.”
Matthew Howes, Ecommerce Director
It’s a monumental shift change, and one that is likely to have a significant impact on the European retail market and potentially the future of ecommerce itself. Seen as a win-win for Amazon and brands, it’s the network of distributors who are likely going to bear the brunt of the change.
Distributors currently play a hugely important role in Amazon’s supply chain. Arguably, their absence could lead to lower prices for consumers – as Amazon gains a stronger influence over pricing.
But some analysts are concerned it could also limit consumer choice, as smaller brands find it increasingly difficult to get their products listed on Amazon.
It’s a change in the global landscape with US retailers such as Walmart and Target already investing in their own distribution networks in an effort to reduce their reliance on third-party suppliers.
As competition increases, and more retailers look for ways to cut costs and improve their margins, it’s a trend that looks certain to continue well into the future.
A 15 – 20-minute read on the bigger picture
Understand the broader implications for your company from Amazon’s latest policy change.
In a statement that will have come as a shock to many of its European Vendors, Amazon has announced a change in procurement policy that will see it focus on sourcing products directly from brands instead of wholesalers in the future.
The change, implemented at a European level in April 2023, has already affected some 14,000+ distributors, with thousands more bracing themselves for the impact it will have on their business.
Amazon has assured wholesalers that they will still be able to sell their products through the marketplace – but only if they are the brand owner or have sole distribution rights.
Any eligible wholesalers who want to continue selling on the platform must create an account on Amazon’s Seller Central to become a partner seller.
What does all of this mean for manufacturers?
Amazon’s change in direction could cause problems for manufacturers who use multiple distributors (especially where they do not know who is supplying Amazon) to supply products to Amazon, and rely on them to reach the European market.
It’s difficult to judge the impact on manufacturers, but some could potentially lose up to 50% of their sales.”
Stef van Boekel, European Operations Director
One by one, these distributors will find themselves cut off from the Amazon Vendor program, leaving manufacturers with only a small number of exclusive distributors to work with. New relationships have to be formed and new terms agreed. It’s time consuming, costly and a hassle – and will almost certainly cause delays and disruption.
Of course the change could also mean that manufacturers suddenly become responsible for their own Amazon product pages – everything from customer-facing product imagery and videos, bullet point product copy and descriptions, all the way through to the supporting advertising needed to promote those pages.
For some, it will be the first time they’ve ever had to think about creating best-practice design and copywriting let alone the complexities of Amazon product page and brand store designs. And not to forget the importance of an Amazon-specific pricing strategy.
It’s crucial that you move swiftly if you want to navigate the Vendor change programme, to survive and thrive on Amazon.”
Matthew Howes, Ecommerce Director
The key factor in all of this is speed. If a distributor decides to join Seller Central, it needs to happen sooner rather than later. The faster they can start building a sales history directly with customers, the less impact losing the vendor-ship will have.
If manufacturers do decide to manage their own products, they’ll need to open up a Vendor account and start building a sales history before the cut-off date.
They’ve got less than a year and although it may seem like a mammoth task, it is possible. And there are great opportunities for the brands that make the leap.
They will be free to take control of their listings, optimisation and branding. And by cutting out the middleman, they’ll have greater control over pricing and product availability – which could lead to higher margins and higher profits. They’ll also have direct access to consumers, with a clear line of communication that could lead to better customer service, closer relationships with customers, and increased brand loyalty.
What does all of this mean for distributors?
It’s a worrying time for distributors who will have been used to seeing a regular flow of purchase orders through Amazon. Many businesses will have come to rely on that revenue stream. So for it to suddenly dry up will leave a sizeable hole in turnover.
Amazon’s network is also likely to pose challenges – particularly for smaller distributors – as the size and scale of their infrastructure such as warehouses and fulfilment centres gives them a significant advantage. It will become increasingly difficult for distributors to compete.
Despite these challenges, there are still some options open to distributors. For example, manufacturers may still decide to use distributors who are already set up as a third-party seller on Seller Central – allowing them to sell directly to customers.
Amazon makes more money this way, so could this be paving the way for a more radical change that sees Amazon phasing out vendor sales altogether as the platform becomes a marketplace only? Time will tell.
As with manufacturers, time is critical for distributors. If they are going to open a Seller account, they need to do so as quickly as possible.
Amazon has stated that they will cease sourcing from distributors as of 15th January 2024.
But it’s feared the impact will be felt long before that as Amazon picks up the pace as the date draws closer. So with just a few months to go, setting up a Seller account now will help ensure a smoother transition so distributors can continue operating with fewer delays or setbacks.
Another option open to distributors is to focus on providing more specialised services, such as marketing and customer service.
They could also partner with Amazon to offer their products on the Amazon platform. Or, if distributors have products of their own to sell, they would be recognised as a vendor, allowing Amazon to continue working with them.
What does all of this mean for consumers?
Although the change won’t be anywhere near as significant for consumers, shoppers will almost certainly notice some differences.
On a positive note, it’s hoped that consumers will start to see lower prices. Amazon is after all, one of the world’s largest and most influential retailers, so has a degree of bargaining power with manufacturers to negotiate lower prices on products which will inspire a return of greater shopper numbers and sales.
And with huge infrastructure already in place, including a large network of warehouses and fulfilment centres, Amazon has the enviable ability to stock a huge variety of products, giving consumers a greater choice of what they can buy online. But it’s the choice of brands not products that have analysts concerned.
It’s feared that cutting ties with distributors will make it extremely hard for smaller, more niche brands to maintain a foothold on Amazon. Could this eventually make the marketplace stale – full of established names but no exciting challenger brands to mix things up?
Customer service or lack of it is also a concern – and certainly something to keep an eye on over the coming months. Amazon has a huge customer base which makes it almost impossible to provide a high level of service and care to everyone. As the retailer takes back more control, will this lead to a drop in the level of customer service?
Navigating the change
Whether you’re a distributor or brand, the upcoming change is likely to lead to disruption and upheaval. Understanding the challenges is key.
Part of Amazon’s Solution Provider Network and the Global partner network, Melody is a performance Amazon marketing agency with specialist marketplace expertise. We work with all parties – manufacturers/brands and distributors – so are in the enviable position of being able to advise each on how to best move forward.
We offer end-to-end support including consultancy, training, fulfilment and logistics (Amazon pan-EU), reporting, listings set up, optimisation, content creation, advertising and translations – all with a single point of contact. You can find out more about our full list of services and expertise here.
To help you meet the challenges, and stay one step ahead of the approaching deadline, we are offering Senior Vendor Account Directors bespoke 1-2-1 consultancy sessions. If you’d like you to request some time with our experienced team, please register your interest today.


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April 22, 2012
Car Industry in Gear for Auto China 2012
April 22 – Beijing – On the eve of China’s biggest motor show, the world’s top car market is expecting strong industry and consumer interest.
Auto China 2012 is a chance for the world’s carmakers and suppliers to make inroads with new models, and Nissan EVP Andy Palmer says the company has high expectations.
“Obviously, the Chinese market is the fastest growing market in the world. It’s already become Nissan’s biggest global market, and Infiniti’s second-biggest market, so it’s an incredibly important show for us,” Palmer said.
“We’re preparing the Infiniti stand, getting everything ready the day before the show. We have very important announcements, the first and foremost the long-wheel based M, which is also with a hybrid. This is a vehicle that’s been designed and engineered especially for the Chinese market. It’s also the Asian premiere of the Infiniti EMERG-E, so two very important products – one for today, one for tomorrow.”
China has an estimated 30 million cars on the road in a nation of 1.4 billion people, prompting substantial hikes in investment and production by automakers.
Analysts say up to 80% of car purchases in China are by first-time buyers, but increasingly lifestyle-oriented vehicles are finding greater market traction and the Beijing show is expected to reflect that.
Nissan widely outperformed auto peers last year as sales jumped 22% to 1.2 million cars, while total industry numbers in China hit 18.5 million – and are seen rising to 30 million by the end of the decade.
The Beijing show in 2010 saw a record attendance near 800,000 and 990 vehicles, while this year’s show is expected to rewrite the books again in a run until early May.


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General Mills and SDSU open new state-of-the-art oat facility
24 June 2016 • Author(s): Victoria White, Digital Content Producer
The Oats Research Laboratory will focus on advancing the sustainability and quality of oats in the US.
Commenting on the news, Jim Kirkwood, vice president and chief science and technology development officer at General Mills, said: “Our company has made a public commitment to source 100 percent of our oats by 2020 from growing regions that demonstrate continuous improvement against industry-based environmental metrics. Having a venerable institution like SDSU as a partner will allow us to do more innovative oat breeding research in the labs and fields – and get us to that goal.”
General Mills is one the largest buyers of North American oats
The new collaborative oat research laboratory includes labs, greenhouses and access to field trials. General Mills agronomists and plant breeders will work alongside the university’s plant science department comprised of plant breeders, grain scientists, seed experts, environmental scientists, field station managers and student researchers. Together, their efforts will focus on improving the nutritional qualities of oats; developing better performing oat varieties with higher yields; and helping farmers improve agronomy practices to increase sustainability.
Dr Barry H. Dunn, president of SDSU, said: “This relationship combines an international innovator in consumer foods and the leading land-grant institution in the country’s second largest oat-producing state. The new laboratory will be a powerful shared opportunity to enhance agricultural productivity and food production, and help stimulate sustainable economic growth and prosperity.”
Oats are at the core of General Mills’ business, with more than 600 products in the company’s US portfolio containing oats. In fiscal 2015, 25 percent of the company’s US retail sales volume comprised products containing whole grain oats. As one of the largest buyers of North American oats, General Mills says it hopes that partnering with SDSU will enable the company to improve the quality and supply of oats, and increase the profitability of the crop for US farmers.
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Corporate restructuring could mean job cuts at John Lewis HQ
John Lewis may be one of the UK’s more successful department store chains but that doesn’t mean the company is firing on all cylinders at present and a string of disappointing results in recent periods means a corporate restructuring could be on the cards.
That’s according to a report in the Sunday Times which claimed that parent company John Lewis Partnership wants to more closely align its eponymous department stores and its upscale Waitrose supermarkets chain.
Chairman Sir Charlie Mayfield is believed to be looking at reducing the duplication of roles at the two businesses and that would mean job losses.
As well as aligning the two retail chains to function in a complementary way in this omnichannel world, the restructure would also cut costs for the firm that has seen profits dented both by markdowns and investment for growth. It recently reported its first-ever half-year loss.
Sources told the newspaper that Mayfield has drawn up plans that could affect departments such as marketing, procurement, HR and finance. At present, the two chains have separate departments for these roles.
There are also three operating boards in three different head offices for the parent company and for each of the two chains.
The company is set to get a new chair, Sharon White, to replace Mayfield and the newspaper said that the planned changes will be revealed ahead of her arrival.
That said, he needs to get agreement from the firm’s employee body for any moves that mean 12 job cuts or more. John Lewis hasn’t commented on the story.
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